The present invention will be described with particular reference to perfume although the technology is believed applicable to other benefit agents used in fabric treatment processes.
In laundry applications deposition of a perfume is used, for example, during fabric treatment processes such as fabric washing and conditioning. Methods of deposition are diverse and include deposition during the wash or rinse stages of the laundry process or direct deposition before or after the wash, such as by spraying or rubbing or by use of impregnated sheets during tumble drying or water additives during steam ironing. The perfume is often incorporated into a carrier or delivery system. Carrier systems for perfumes are typically based on encapsulation or entrapment of the perfume within a matrix. After deposition onto a surface, a problem exists in that longevity of adherence to that surface of the perfume, in a surfactant containing environment, is inherently poor. A perfume which has been deposited onto a fabric may be washed off again during a main wash, or in the perfume may be leached from its carrier into the wash. Protection of the perfume is, therefore, required before and after it has been deposited onto a surface. Much the same problems are encountered with other benefit agents, which are, like perfume typically relatively expensive and present in laundry compositions at relatively low levels.
WO 94/19448 relates to compositions which comprise both a soil release polymer and an encapulated perfume. The soil release polymer is said to improve the deposition of the perfume containing particles.
WO 99/36469 relates to compositions which are substantive to cotton and which contain both perfume containing particles and a polymer which is substantive to cotton, such as locust bean gum.
WO 01/46357 relates to a fusion protein comprising a cellulose binding domain and a domain having a high binding affinity for another ligand. This high affinity binding domain is preferably directed at a Benefit Agent.
WO 07/62833 relates to compositions which comprise core-shell encapsulated perfume particles decorated with locust bean gum.